Get Excited!: Movies to Look Forward To

by B Condon 3:09 PM

For me, summer is that time of year to hibernate in libraries, coffee houses, and grocery stores (sorry farmer's markets) for heat makes the hot-blooded Irish and German genetics flush my face bright red, insects biting at my arms so -- I distract myself. Here's some wonderful cinematic distractions to look forward to!

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Limited Release

Directed by:  Wes Anderson 

Starring Kara Hayward, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand

While this has been out since May, but only in limited release, it shows the beauty of up-and-comer Kara Hayward who falls in love with Sam (Jared Gilman) in 1960s New England which prompts the town she runs away from to go searching for the young lovers when realizing their own small town world is being turned upside down. So of course, being an Andersen film, it is stocked full of his go-to actors (Murray, and Schwartzmann) but recruits more almost has-been in Bruce Willis and Harvey Keitel and Goddess only knows what the legends (McDormand, Swinton, Norton) could be up to... but it's an Andersen film, it could go either way but it'll be one quirky trip.

Electrick Children (2012) 
July 27, 2012
Directed By: Rebecca Thomas
Starring: Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Billy Zane

Essentially, Electrick Children is the Mormon answer to Saved! Except, there's no attempting to convert a very gay and cute Chad Faust except being "impregnated by music" or so 15-year old Mormon Rachel (Garner) believes since she -- naturally -- believes in immaculate conception. Hey, if Rory Culkin could be my baby Daddy, the movie would end right there but it looks like things may not be like they seem.

Oh le drool... oh Hugh...

Les Miserables (2012)

(December 2012)

Directed by: Tom Hooper

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron-Cohen

To imagine any singing moment between Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried immediately tickles my musical girly spots, so to know that this hugely gossiped about production is just wrapping to be released THIS DECEMBER excites me more than you can believe. As I am more familiar with the book, I look forward to seeing both of my favorite Gen Y ladies in this movie but I will remain critical about Helena Bonham Carter. Miranda Richardson wasn't available? But, expect a trailer at the beginning of Snow White and the Huntsman!

Greetings From Tim Buckley (2012)

(TBA)

Directed By: Daniel Algrant

Starring Ben Rosenfield, Imogen Poots, Kate Nash, Norbert Leo Butz

With a rock-star cast including Kate Nash (Kate Nash???!!) and broadway legend Norbert Leo Butz, it's only proper to highlight on the lesser known but oh so rock n roll Buckleys in this bio pic, Penn Badgley who plays Jeff, whose 1991 tribute concert at St. Ann's Church in New York City causes Tim, played by Ben Rosenfield, to go through all the stages of grief of being abandoned as a young child resulting in a career-making performance. (Kate Nash??)

What Maisie Knew (2012)

(TBA)

Original Story by Henry James

Directed By: Scott McGehee

Starring: Alexander Skarsgaard, Julianne Moore, Joanna Vanderham

Based on the brilliant writing of Henry James, What Maisie Knew shows a parental rivalry and divorce through the eyes of seven year old Maisie played by new comer Onata Aprile. Unlike Henry James though, this takes place in modern day New York City.

The Knot (2013)

January 2013

Directed By: Jesse Lawrence

Starring: Mena Suvari, Susannah Fielding, Tallulah Riley

In one sentence, The Knot is basically Bridesmaids meets bawdy humor of The Hangover meets Mena Suvari's sexy sexy self. Alexandra (Riley) and Jeremy (Matthew McNulty) are getting married, essentially soul mates but the best man (Noel Clarke) is insistent for the wedding to never happen as chaos ensues, including a delivery of pig testicles (or as Little Britain says test-eh-clays) 

Romeo & Juliet (2013)

February 2013

Directed By: Carlo Carlei
Starring: Stellan Skarsgaard, Paul Giamatti, Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth


So until February 13, everyone will be having the great debate out of the thousand different adaptations if it is well needed to have a new adaptation. For Baz Luhrmann, it was the all to end all adaptations, delving into something experimental so why not have something that's postmodern yet getting really historically accurate? Or at least that's my thoughts on Carlo Carlei's version, the pictures I have seen in Entertainment Weekly a few weeks ago actually looks really promising -- they are actually teenagers! it's actually filmed in Italy! they might have accents! Those three factors might have you change your mind; time will tell.